October 3, 2013

Here's a sermon by Greg Surratt, second in the Elephant in the Room series. This guy is a great speaker and pretty much always has applicable and engaging things to say.

Giving has always been a discipline for me - 10% of what I make, before taxes (first fruits). Someone told me to do it this way in high school, and so I did. I think this is great, but then I got married, and giving became a conversation rather than my own decision. I married an incredibly generous woman, and so when I came into giving with my disciplined approach, she asked where my heart was. It was something I haven't thought much about, but since then, it has become a major theme in my life.

2 Corinthians 9:7 - "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."Jesus was always concerned about the heart of His listeners, and so that should always be our focus for everything, but especially when it comes to money, which really exposes the state of men's hearts.

Luke 6:43-45 - “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.A
good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and
an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.
For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."

Some notes:

Trusting God with money can create peace in a place where it shouldn't be peaceful (financial hardships, etc.)

Generosity/ giving is the most talked about value in the bible (more than faith, hope & love)

1 Timothy 6:17-19 - "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."